PHILIPPINES — The last game of the best of three finals draws near. Both teams will take the last stand to determine who will bring home the UNTV Cup Season 5 championship trophy and the top prize, as Season 3 runner-up PNP Responders face the Malacañang Kamao at Smart-Araneta Coliseum at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21.

The team who will emerge victorious will bring home P4,000,000 while P2,000,000 for the 2nd placer all for their chosen charity or beneficiaries.

Malacañang Kamao has chosen a group of cancer patients and Millennium Sports Support System Association Incorporated while PNP Responders pick Police Community Relations Group “Drug Rehabilitation Program” respectively.

As PNP is very eager to capture the ever elusive UNTV Cup title on their 4th try, so is Malacañang on its 2nd chance.

In Game 1, Malacañang Kamao defeated the PNP Responders with final scores 82-81, while the PNP Responders bounced back in game 2 beating the Malacañang team with final scores 67-61.

Malacañang Kamao admit they were not able to show their play in game 2 due to the tight defense showed by the PNP Responders. That is why in Game 3, the Kamao team will recuperate and show their fierceness.

Kamao’s Gonzales said, “Totoo yan, I give credit also doon sa depense ng PNP medyo na off talaga yung rhythm namin and they have a good game plan.”

(That’s true. I give credit to the PNP team’s defense. Their defense made us off rhythm, and they had a good game plan.)

With PNP’s intense defense in Game 2, the two best players of the game in game 1, Christian Luanzon, who made 29 points (in game 1) made only 15 points (in game 2), while Eric dela Cuesta, who made 23 points (in game 1) made only 1 point (in game 2).

(Perhaps one of the biggest adjustments I will do is, we need to share the ball more. Perhaps the touches, as much as possible, the five players on the court must have touches and have opportunities because we have become too predictable. Their coverage on Christian Luanzon, especially on Eric Dela Cuesta, was good.)

Coach Louie Gonzales said that in game 3 they will exert all their effort to claim the championship.

(I think we need to if we really want to get the championship. We have to do good on both offense and defense. We know that is a game 3 closing out. The team that wins in game 3 is usually the team that plays as a team. It’s not who’s strong or who’s weak, but who is united, helps one another and works hard for it — that’s the team that usually wins.)

Fans and audiences are going to witness an action-packed basketball game this Tuesday at Araneta as both teams are expected to play all out for this last game. This will reveal who wants it more for their chosen beneficiaries.

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The tough defense employed by the Malacañang-PSC to the NHA Builders was a big factor to force a game 2 in the semifinals as the main men of the Builders were partially shut down in the final quarter. (Ruby Vercide / Photoville International)

MANILA, Philippines — In the Kamao-Builders match, first-time semi-finalist NHA Builders dominated the first to third quarters and kept Malacañang-PSC Kamao on the run.

But the Season 5 runner-up team did not lose heart and battled hard stealing the lead in the first three minutes of the last quarter, 63-62.

With the red shirt’s tough offense, the NHA was locked with only four points in the fifth minute of the quarter, and Kamao’s lead rose to nine points, 64-73.

But the Builders did not allow this turn of events, with Marvin Ladia and Alvin Vitug firing successive three’s to tie the score at 76-all.

And the buzzer went off to mark an overtime.

With several key players from both sides put out of the court, NHA’s Antonio Lustestica Jr and Marvin Mercado and Kamao’s Eric Dela Cuesta the ball game got even more intense.

Palace ballers Ian Garrido and Christian Luanzon were also fouled out early in the overtime period.

But Kamao Assistant Coach Raffy Gonzales remained confident his team could make it through.

(Credit goes to the players. We had a good preparation going to this game. Our attendance had a good outcome. Senators Sonny Angara and Joel Villanueva along with other Senate officials participated well during our practices. They were very vocal. It’s nice to practice with that environment. Our players feel good going to this game.)

With the Kamao’s and Defenders’ wins, the four teams will meet again on Sunday for the deciding games on who will win the slots to the UNTV Cup Season 6 Finals. —Bernard Dadis | UNTV News & Rescue

MANILA, Philippines — The UNTV Cup Season 6 semifinal round kicks off on Sunday, February 11, 2018 at the Pasig City Sports Center.

The Senate Defenders and Malacañang-PSC Kamao are set to battle the top 2 seeded teams AFP Cavaliers and NHA Builders.

According to league rules, the AFP and NHA hold the twice-to-beat advantage.

This necessitates the lawmakers and the Presidents’ men to win two straights to grab the two championship tickets.

The younger team NHA Builders will battle the former two-time championship contender Malacañang-PSC Kamao on the first game (3pm) of the doubleheader while former two-time champion AFP Cavaliers will face the Senate Defenders on the main game (4:30pm).

But should the AFP and NHA emerge victorious on Sunday, the will outrightly proceed to the Best of Three Finals match, while the Senate and Malacañang-PSC will set a knockout battle for third.

The AFP Cavaliers with a mixture of old and young gunners is expected to flex their vintage champion form while the Senate Defenders will stick to their chemistry and tough defense.

On the other hand, the question of who is more hungrier will be the story of NHA-Malacañang-PSC saga as both teams had already frequented to the final 4 seats but failed to get the Cup.

This epic battles can be watched live at the venue for free as well as on the UNTV channel and website. — UNTV New Media

The PNP held the lead in the first to third quarters of the ball game.

But in the last minute of the ball game, the PNP was held at a standstill at 66, and the Defenders had the cops on the run when shots after shots were fired until the final buzzer of the game went off 74-66.

Senators Sonny Angara and Joel Villanueva, with their leadership and performance, contributed hugely to the win.

Sen. Joel Villanueva added: “Well iyon naman talaga ang goal since day one. And we’re just so happy we’re playing really well… and I think we finally figured out among ourselves kung ano ang character ng team, which is we’re not going to win unless we play defense.”

The PNP’s side, on the other hand, was led by Assistant Coach PO3 Artemio Marquez and Harold Sta. Cruz on Sunday.

Garri Sevilla with his 22 points, 5 rebounds, and one assist was hailed the best player of the game.

The win gave the Senate a ticket to the semifinals.

It was in Season 3 when the Senate town last held a top-four spot in the league, while in Season 5, they were not able to enter the win column.

Despite the absence of star player Christian Luanzon, the Kamao endured the challenge posed by the two-time champion, with best players of the game Eric Dela Cuesta and Vishnu das Javier leading in the scoring department.

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